Terrifying act fails to qualify as terrorism
THE man who deliberately mowed down 19 people at a busy Melbourne intersection had an appointment for mental health treatment on the day of the attack but did not show up, police said yesterday.
The driver, Saeed Noori, 32, has been revealed as having a history of mental illness and drug use, and was on a mental health plan.
Victoria Police acting chief commissioner Shane Patton told Channel 9’s Today the man had a medical appointment booked on Thursday.
“He is on a mental health plan and he was due for an appointment yesterday, which he missed,” Mr Patton said.
“During that preliminary interview with investigators who are looking at this matter, he spoke about dreams, he spoke about voices, but he also did attribute some of his actions to the poor treatment of Muslims.”
The 32-year-old Afghani Australian, who has a minor criminal history, was released from hospital yesterday afternoon and being interviewed by police. He had not been charged. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told media yesterday that Mr Noori came to Australia as a refugee from Afghanistan through the “normal refugee programs” and had no known links to any “political issues or extremist groups”.
“Therefore, the position I’m advised is that no terrorism link has been established,” the Prime Minister said.
A second man arrested at the scene was allegedly filming the attack and in possession of knives.
Released on Thursday
night, he is expected to be charged on summons with drugs and weapons possession.
Nineteen victims of the attack, including a fouryear-old boy who sustained head injuries, were taken to hospitals around Melbourne.
Mr Patton said 12 people remained in hospital and a man in his 80s was fighting for life in a critical condition.
Mr Patton said he had been told the young boy’s condition had “somewhat improved”.
Among the injured is the hero off-duty police officer who leapt to action, detaining and arresting the driver at the scene.
Premier Daniel Andrews praised the officer.
“The off-duty arresting officer, a member of Victorian Police who was prime in terms of detaining
the alleged offender, did suffer some injuries and is receiving hospital treatment,” he said.
“I think we would be right to single him out for special praise for the way in which he instinctively came to the aid of others in the protection of public order and potentially avoiding so much other carnage.”
The officer was to undergo surgery on his hand yesterday morning.
The attack happened at 4.41pm outside busy Flinders Street Station, which was teeming with tourists, CBD workers and last-minute Christmas shoppers.
Roads in Melbourne’s CBD were all reopened about 2am on Friday and public transport was operating as usual, but the bustling intersection was unusually quiet yesterday morning.